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Posted January 6, 2012 05:21 pm - Updated January 6, 2012 09:45 pm

Staff Writer

Doctor says he is happy to work for University Hospital

John Paulos meets with Dr. Ian Herskowitz, for a checkup. Herskowitz, a medical endocrinologist, turned over parts of his practice when in 2009 he signed a five-year contract to be employed by University Hospital.

Dr. Ian Herskowitz gives John Paulos a checkup. Herskowitz, a medical endocrinologist, was happy to turn over parts of his practice to University Hospital. "From my perspective it has been very positive because I don't have to worry about the financial aspects of the practice and the overhead issues," he said.

Dr. Ian Herskowitz was happy to turn over certain parts of his practice to University Hospital in 2009.

“From my perspective it has been very positive because I don’t have to worry about the financial aspects of the practice and the overhead issues,” he said. “The hospital basically manages the billing aspect and the management of our staff here in the office.”

The medical endocrinologist signed a five-year contract to be employed by University and said he has benefited from an upgraded computer system and new electronic medical records, which will be required in the future – and are not cheap.

Being part of a larger organization has also helped with new equipment and recruiting physicians to the practice, which had struggled to attract endocrinologists, he said. A new one has already joined and another is coming in the summer, in part because the hospital can offer certain benefits a private practice cannot, Herskowitz said. The contract also helps.

“The hospital does guarantee the income to an extent and then they help with building up your practice,” Herskowitz said.

University has also helped bring in a physician assistant to help coordinate the various aspects of care for diabetics, he said.

“Diabetes is probably the most complicated aspect of my specialty and getting proper care for diabetic patients is really very critical,” Herskowitz said.

Without having to essentially run a business, “I have more time to see patients and not worry about other economic aspects of the practice,” he said.